“The Kentucky Derby defines your career,” Bob Baffert‘s weighted words made many horse racing fans believe that his return to Churchill Downs would be iconic. And yet, it wasn’t the comeback that was anticipated. Just days ahead of the biggest horse racing event of the year, Baffert announced that Rodriguez, his best bet to win the race, had to pull out. The details of the reason, however, remained sparse.

Baffert claimed that it was Rodriguez’s foot condition that prompted the tough call of scratching the colt from the Derby. “…he had a little foot issue right after I breezed him. It’s just one of those things where it’s still a little sensitive and he’s going to need a few more days,” Baffert said following the managing partner of SF Racing, Tom Ryan’s statement that the decision had been taken “Out of an abundance of caution.” But now with the Belmont Stakes just around the corner, Baffert expects the 3-year-old thoroughbred to be among the runners in Saratoga.

The trainer told DRF that going into the Kentucky Derby, things looked great, until Rodriguez “popped that quarter.” A hind crack, he mentioned, can have extreme impacts on a horse’s health. “I knew I was in trouble. I didn’t have enough time to give it a chance. Quarter cracks in a hind are different than in the front,” Baffert has been quoted as saying in the article.

Skipping both the Derby and the Preakness gave Rodriguez all the time it needed to recuperate from its setback and aim to wrap up the Triple Crown season on a high note. “Now, he’s got the time. He came back and worked. I’m happy he’s going up there. He looks good,” Bob Baffert said of how the son of Authentic is looking his best in weeks.

Baffert’s optimism might not be misplaced after all. Rodriguez’s victory at the Aqueduct Race Track on April 5 showed that the horse is capable of pulling some truly incredible bunnies out of its hat. While the Belmont is a whole different ballgame, it never hurts to be hopeful about a victory under pressure. On top of that, with six Kentucky Derby wins, eight wins at Preakness, and three at Belmont, Bob’s resume speaks for itself.

And yet, it isn’t like the celebrity owner of Rodriguez will get a hall pass at bagging his fourth Belmont victory.

Bob Baffert will have a tough terrain to trek

The starting lineup for the upcoming June 7 race is stacked to the brim. Along with Rodriguez, some of the fastest horses from around the US and beyond are waiting to show their mettle at the Saratoga Race Course next weekend. The lineup includes Sovereignty. And Journalism. Sovereignty, the 2025 Kentucky Derby winner, sat out the Preakness Stakes to focus on its health, and it’s understandable why its recent wins have bestowed 8-5 odds on the horse ahead of the Belmont.

“He’s almost a little more aggressive,” trainer Bill Mott recently even said how his horse has been looking its best in recent weeks as he sent out a veiled warning to his peers. Journalism, in Sovereignty’s absence, picked up a thumping win at the Preakness Stakes. And yet, it didn’t feel entirely satisfying to the fans. After the Derby, the Preakness didn’t offer the rematch between these two magnificent horses, but the Belmont could be the place that compensates for the same.

Along with these two horse racing sensations, Heart of Honor, the runner-up of the 2025 UAE Derby, will also be there in Saratoga to make Baffert’s life miserable. Undoubtedly, it’s a lineup that will pique the attention and interest of all racing fans everywhere. But who would be your pick to win the third jewel of the Triple Crown? After repeated heartbreaks in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, can Bob Baffert finally show his horse training brilliance? Tell us your thoughts below!